Canon Pro-1000 and the vacuuim got ink in it?

[rick_k]

I've had a Canon Pro-1000 since they first came out. This is the first issue I have had with mine. I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar issue.

I've printed on Moab Juniper in sizes 8.5 x 11, 11 x 14 and 17 x 22 with no problems. This past weekend I got a box of 13 x 19 and experienced head strikes on the leading edge. I adjusted the image location on the paper by shrinking the size and moving it so the leading edge started at 1.5 inches and then I got head strikes on the trailing edge so I started thinking maybe something is off with the vacuum not sucking down the paper properly. I opened up the top of the printer where you can access the heads and ugh...

On the bottom below where the heads travel is a black plate with irregular rectangles with holes in the bottom. This is surrounded by dark foam. I assume that this is where the vacuum pressure is applied to the paper holding it down and flat under the heads as the travel back and forth. On my printer on either end there is a bunch of ink soaking in the foam and I can see ink staining on the plastic and around several of the holes. The foam is wet to the touch.

I've never experienced any indication of any kink of ink spillage on any print. Never seen any ink on the bottom side of prints. Never seen any kind of trouble code not resolved with replacement of an ink cartridge or the maintenance cartridge. I seem to be able to still print 8.5 x 11 without head strikes but anything larger I think the paper path is such that without the vacuum pressure holding it down the paper is going to get head strikes.

I've attached an image of what I am seeing. I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this and if so, was there any fix other than replacement available?

Thanks,

Rick

[Panagiotis]

This is normal. It's not the vacuum. The foam is for collecting ink from borderless printing and ink maintenance. It's your new paper pack. Decurl the edges or adjust the head height.

[henrikolsen]

Didn't notice mentioning of which paper feed you use. I've avoided some head strikes before by switching from the one on top (rear in Canon lingo) to the rear (manual in Canon lingo), which causes a flatter paper path - sometimes makes enough of a difference on particularly thick paper stock. Give it a try, if not already so. Only one sheet at a time can be fed this way though.

[Simon J.A. Simpson]

Just a question.

If ink is being squirted onto the vacuum plates surely this will come-off on the back of the print causing smears of ink.  Is this right ?

I have a Canon printer and know that they have a habit of squirting ink into the foam strips but should it be inking the vacuum plates as well ?

[Panagiotis]

Just a question.

If ink is being squirted onto the vacuum plates surely this will come-off on the back of the print causing smears of ink.  Is this right ?

There is a possibility. In case that happens there is a series of steps described in the manual to clean the interior of the printer:
http://ugp01.c-ij.com/ij/webmanual/Manual/All/PRO-1000%20series/EL/BG/bg-052.html

[Simon J.A. Simpson]

Yes, this procedure works well.  I had to use it one time I got ink overspill owing to a mistake I made setting-up the printer.

[rick_k]

The paper I'm using is Moab Juniper Rag 305 using Moab's ICC profile and their recommended media type setting of pro platinum. I did try changing the head height from low to standard in the printer for the media type. It reduced but did not eliminate the head strikes.

I'm using the boxed 13 x 19 and it is perfectly flat out of the box.

I always use the manual paper feed as it provides a flatter route for the paper.

I have never printed borderless prints. Not my thing as I like a classic mat and frame look to my prints so just not needed.

I think my next step will be to go to the store I bought the printer from and try to print on this paper and image on theirs and see if it is doing the same.

Thanks for the suggestions/ideas.

Rick

[patjoja]

The paper I'm using is Moab Juniper Rag 305 using Moab's ICC profile and their recommended media type setting of pro platinum. I did try changing the head height from low to standard in the printer for the media type. It reduced but did not eliminate the head strikes.

I think that may be a clues to fixing the problem.  You may want to consider going to a higher head height (Paper Detailed Setting).  You can also fiddle with the paper vacuum there. 

Patrick

[MarkFarber]

I have this same problem on a 6-month-old Pro-1000.  The foam is visibly soaked just like your photo, in fact much more so, on the left third and the right third.  I've never printed borderless though I print smaller than 17" wide more than half the time.

The manual says nothing about trying to lightly "sponge" some of the ink out of the foam or replacing the foam.  Any insights there?

As a related aside, I'm on the 3rd maintenance tank in 6 months.  My Epson 3880, still in service in another location, is on its 2nd maintenance tank after 4.5 years.  I know a lot has been written on Canon's ink use.  I'm concerned that I'm not just throwing ink away in the maintenance tank but that ink is being sprayed or spilled internally as well.  At Mark Segal's recommendation, I now never turn the printer off.  BTW, the 3880 is still totally reliable.  Unlike most owners, I've done zero head cleanings in 4 years because the pattern check is always perfect.  I attribute my good luck to the fact that the printer is always covered (www.digitaldeckcovers.com) when not in use.

[patjoja]

I have this same problem on a 6-month-old Pro-1000.  The foam is visibly soaked just like your photo, in fact much more so, on the left third and the right third.  I've never printed borderless though I print smaller than 17" wide more than half the time.

The manual says nothing about trying to lightly "sponge" some of the ink out of the foam or replacing the foam.  Any insights there?

As a related aside, I'm on the 3rd maintenance tank in 6 months.  My Epson 3880, still in service in another location, is on its 2nd maintenance tank after 4.5 years.  I know a lot has been written on Canon's ink use.  I'm concerned that I'm not just throwing ink away in the maintenance tank but that ink is being sprayed or spilled internally as well.  At Mark Segal's recommendation, I now never turn the printer off.  BTW, the 3880 is still totally reliable.  Unlike most owners, I've done zero head cleanings in 4 years because the pattern check is always perfect.  I attribute my good luck to the fact that the printer is always covered (www.digitaldeckcovers.com) when not in use.

I can't speak to the Canon-P1000, but I just recently started using my 3880 after about a 2 year period of non-use.  At first it was pretty ugly, but after a few head cleanings and usage it seems to be working fine now.

Patrick

[rick_k]

I'm attaching a picture of the head strikes.

I don't think it is purely a paper thickness issue as I've printed on this same paper with the same media type since I got the printer (possible that Moab made a thick batch) but also it only head strikes 1-2 inches by leading or trailing edge of paper. The middle of the print shows no strikes.

I've emailed Canon support and have a reply from them. Initial reply is fairly basic stuff I've already tried. Hopefully I can get them to get a bit more serious about the issue I'm having. Also thinking of trying to take my image and box of paper into my local store and try a print on their demo printer and see if it has the same issue or not.

B&H has the printer for 1000 after a $300 rebate. With a full set of inks running $700-$900 it isn't a bad deal. But I hate to think of these as disposable printers...

[Simon J.A. Simpson]

Hi Rick.

If you are getting head strikes on the leading and trailing edges of the paper then this suggests to me that the paper is starting to curl in the printer once it gets a coating of ink thus causing it to come into contact with the printer head.  I note from the image you have posted that the print has a good dense black on the edge so this a is lot of ink.   I know that Canon recommend using larger margins for ‘art’ paper to prevent these kind of head strikes from happening.  This is for all their printers.

You may have found that this is happening particularly now, whereas not previously, because of changes in the air humidity and temperature (the ink is not drying so quickly), or perhaps it's the paper batch.

As has already been suggested ways mitigate this are to use a larger platen gap and/or increase the vacuum pressure; but you say these haven't helped.  It may therefore be one of several things…

• the batch of paper
• the air temperature/humidity
• the printer is not adjusting the platen gap sufficiently
• the printer is not adjusting the vacuum pressure sufficiently

There is one other thing you can try.  If you check the manual it will give a list of recommended margins for different papers.  One possible solution is to try printing with a larger margin but you will have to accept a slightly smaller print or to use a larger sheet of paper.

With the ink spillage it seems you may have lost confidence in the printer but the printer may be working OK.  It is just a question of eliminating possible causes one by one.

[henrikolsen]

I think that may be a clues to fixing the problem.  You may want to consider going to a higher head height (Paper Detailed Setting).  You can also fiddle with the paper vacuum there.

On the Pro-1000 you cannot (as far as I've found) adjust vacuum strength like normally an option on the roll models. It's either on or off, at whatever strength Canon has chosen.

[Simon J.A. Simpson]

It shows you how to adjust the vacuum here:

Canon Pro 1000 On-Line Manual – Paper Settings

[rick_k]

It shows you how to adjust the vacuum here:

Canon Pro 1000 On-Line Manual – Paper Settings

I use Windows 10.

When I go into the print driver under the Paper Detailed Section for Print Head Height my only option is Avoid Paper Abrasion and Printer Default. For Paper Vacuum the only options are Printer Default and Do not Vacuum.

Are your options for the Mac different per the link you provided?

I will see if there are more options to set in the printer menu system itself.

Thanks,

Rick

[Simon J.A. Simpson]

In theory, the options should be the same on Windows.

It's possible that Mark Segal might have the answer to this question as he tested the Pro 1000.

A quick look through the manual seems to indicate that you can't adjust the vacuum in Windows but I have found a reference to “Media Configuration Tool” which may allow you to do this.